Electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector includes a housing, a first contact, and a second contact. The housing has a first segment oriented transverse to a second segment, and a cavity extending through the first and second segments. The first contact is received in the cavity within the first segment. The second contact is received in the cavity within the second segment, and is oriented transverse to the first contact. A mating end of the first contact includes a cap and at least one deflectable arm that define an attachment region therebetween. A mating end of the second contact includes a bulb that is received in the attachment region to mechanically and electrically connect the mating ends. The at least one deflectable arm engages a proximal portion of the bulb, and the cap engages a distal portion of the bulb to retain the bulb in the attachment region.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electrical connector comprising:
 a housing having a first segment and a second segment oriented transverse to the first segment, the housing defining a cavity extending through the first and second segments between a distal end of the first segment and a distal end of the second segment; 
 a first contact having a mating end and a terminating end, the first contact received in the cavity within the first segment of the housing; and 
 a second contact having a mating end and a terminating end, the second contact received in the cavity within the second segment of the housing, the mating end of the second contact configured to mechanically and electrically connect to the mating end of the first contact within the cavity, the second contact oriented transverse to the first contact within the cavity, 
 wherein the mating end of the first contact includes a cap and at least one deflectable arm that define an attachment region therebetween, the mating end of the second contact including a bulb that is received in the attachment region as the mating ends of the first and second contacts are connected, the at least one deflectable arm engaging a proximal portion of the bulb and the cap engaging a distal portion of the bulb to retain the bulb in the attachment region. 
 
     
     
       2. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm extends at least partially around a perimeter of the bulb when the bulb is within the attachment region. 
     
     
       3. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion of the bulb extends from a neck along a longitudinal axis of the second contact, the neck having a diameter less than a diameter of the bulb, wherein the at least one deflectable arm is biased towards being received at least partially within the neck. 
     
     
       4. The electrical connector of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm includes a ridge that extends radially inward towards the attachment region and is received within the neck when the bulb is within the attachment region. 
     
     
       5. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm extends from a back wall at the mating end of the first contact, the back wall oriented along a back wall axis, the at least one arm extending from a side edge of the back wall in an angle transverse to the back wall axis, the cap of the mating end extending from a distal end of the back wall in an angle transverse to the back wall axis. 
     
     
       6. The electrical connector of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm includes two deflectable arms that extend from opposite side edges of the back wall of the first contact, the two arms curved towards each other and together surround at least most of a perimeter of the bulb when the bulb is within the attachment region. 
     
     
       7. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm at the mating end of the first contact includes a flared end that flares radially outward away from the attachment region, the bulb at the mating end of the second contact engaging the flared end of the at least one arm to deflect the at least one arm radially outward to permit the bulb to enter the attachment region as the mating ends of the first and second contacts are connected. 
     
     
       8. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the first contact is loaded into the cavity of the housing prior to the second contact, the mating ends of the first and second contacts connected by advancing the second contact through the cavity in a coupling direction until the bulb is received in the attachment region, the cap of the first contact engaging the distal portion of the bulb to restrict further movement of the second contact in the coupling direction and the at least one deflectable arm engaging the proximal portion of the bulb to restrict movement of the second contact in an opposite, uncoupling direction. 
     
     
       9. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the second contact is loaded into the cavity of the housing prior to the first contact, the mating ends of the first and second contacts connected by advancing the first contact through the cavity in a coupling direction until the attachment region receives the bulb therein, a first region of the bulb engaging a back wall of the first contact to restrict further movement of the first contact in the coupling direction and a second region of the bulb engaging the at least one deflectable arm to restrict movement of the first contact in an opposite, uncoupling direction. 
     
     
       10. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the terminating end of the first contact is configured to electrically connect to a mating contact of a mating connector, and the terminating end of the second contact is configured to electrically connect to a conductive core of a cable. 
     
     
       11. The electrical connector of  claim 10 , further comprising an outer contact at least partially surrounding the first segment of the housing and an outer housing at least partially surrounding the outer contact, wherein the outer housing has a mating interface defining a socket for mating with the mating connector. 
     
     
       12. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the terminating end of the first contact is configured to electrically connect to a conductive core of a cable, and the terminating end of the second contact is configured to electrically connect to a mating contact of a mating connector. 
     
     
       13. The electrical connector of  claim 1 , wherein the terminating end of at least one of the first contact or the second contact includes at least one of a pin, a socket, a crimp barrel, an insulation displacement connector, or a solder connector. 
     
     
       14. An electrical connector comprising:
 a housing having a first segment and a second segment oriented transverse to the first segment, the housing defining a cavity extending through the first and second segments between a distal end of the first segment and a distal end of the second segment; 
 a center contact having a mating end and a terminating end, the center contact received in the cavity within the first segment of the housing, the terminating end configured to terminate to a mating contact of a mating connector; and 
 a cable contact having a mating end and a terminating end, the cable contact received in the cavity within the second segment of the housing, the terminating end of the cable contact terminated to a conductive core of a cable, the mating end configured to mechanically and electrically connect to the mating end of the center contact within the cavity, the cable contact oriented transverse to the center contact within the cavity, 
 wherein the mating end of the center contact includes a cap and at least one deflectable arm that define an attachment region therebetween, the mating end of the cable contact including a bulb that is received in the attachment region as the mating ends of the center and cable contacts are connected, the at least one deflectable arm engaging a proximal portion of the bulb and the cap engaging a distal portion of the bulb to retain the bulb in the attachment region. 
 
     
     
       15. The electrical connector of  claim 14 , wherein the center contact is loaded into the cavity of the housing prior to the cable contact, the mating ends of the center and cable contacts connected by advancing the cable contact through the cavity in a coupling direction until the bulb is received in the attachment region, the cap of the center contact engaging the distal portion of the bulb to restrict further movement of the cable contact in the coupling direction and the at least one deflectable arm engaging the proximal portion of the bulb to restrict movement of the cable contact in an opposite, uncoupling direction. 
     
     
       16. The electrical connector of  claim 14 , wherein the cable contact is loaded into the cavity of the housing prior to the center contact, the mating ends of the center and cable contacts connected by advancing the center contact through the cavity in a coupling direction until the attachment region surrounds the bulb, a first region of the bulb engaging a back wall at the mating end of the center contact to restrict further movement of the center contact in the coupling direction and a second region of the bulb engaging the at least one deflectable arm to restrict movement of the center contact in an opposite, uncoupling direction. 
     
     
       17. The electrical connector of  claim 14 , wherein the proximal portion of the bulb extends from a neck along a longitudinal axis of the cable contact, the neck having a diameter less than a diameter of the bulb, wherein the at least one deflectable arm is biased towards being received at least partially within the neck. 
     
     
       18. The electrical connector of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm extends from a back wall at the mating end of the center contact, the back wall oriented along a back wall axis, the at least one arm extending from a side edge of the back wall in an angle transverse to the back wall axis, the cap of the mating end extending from a distal end of the back wall in an angle transverse to the back wall axis. 
     
     
       19. The electrical connector of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm includes two deflectable arms that extend from opposite side edges of the back wall of the center contact, the two arms curved towards each other and together surround at least most of a perimeter of the bulb when the bulb is received within the attachment region. 
     
     
       20. The electrical connector of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one deflectable arm at the mating end of the center contact includes a flared end that flares radially outward away from the attachment region, the bulb at the mating end of the cable contact engaging the flared end of the at least one arm to deflect the at least one arm radially outward to permit the bulb to enter the attachment region as the mating ends of the center and cable contacts are connected.